Chapter 143
Chapter 143:
A quiet stir passed through the crowd, especially among the women. Many turned their heads, their eyes landing on Paola. Some did it without thinking, while others meant to. Isabella leaned in and whispered, a little too loudly, “Marcus really does favor Paola. He invites her to perform, then calls her a treasure in front of everyone p>
Paola tried to wave her off. “Stop, Isabella. He never said that to me. Maybe he was talking about the other guests. Maybe even Rylie p>
Isabella giggled and nudged her. “Come on. We all know how modest you are. Fine, just let him do the bragging p>
Paola smiled, saying nothing more. She soaked in the stares, her cheeks glowing as eyes flicked toward her from all directions. Tonight, she was the only woman performing on stage. The rest didn’t matter—neither Rylie’s stunts nor anything else. She was born to be at the center. No one could outshine her.
Just as she basked in the illusion, a sharp screech tore through the auditorium from Marcus’ microphone.
Marcus caught sight of something that startled him, and he almost let the microphone slip from his hand. The sharp sound that followed drew everyone’s attention. He no longer wore the calm demeanor of a composed gentleman. Instead, his face darkened.
“Who told you to sit beside that man?” Marcus’ voice was clipped.
His eyes met Rylie’s, catching her off guard. She blinked slowly and said, “Paola told me that seat was meant for your guest, so she wouldn’t let me sit there.” Her voice remained quiet, but Marcus had sharp hearing. He didn’t miss a word. He faced the crowd and spoke directly into the microphone.
“That seat is yours. You are the guest I invited. I left a box of snacks beside the sofa just for you. Go back. Don’t sit with any man p>
Though his tone wasn’t exactly harsh, his meaning was clear. The crowd picked up on it right away. His jealousy wasn’t fiery—it sounded more like the scolding of an older brother who spoiled his sibling.
Rylie didn’t argue. She stood, left Brad’s side, and made her way to the sofa Marcus had pointed out. She sat down and opened the small box beside her. Inside were a few slices of cake and an assortment of juices.
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When Marcus saw her back in the seat he had chosen for her, his expression eased. He gave a soft laugh and said, “My sister always finds a way to stir things up. I hope she didn’t bother anyone too much p>
He adjusted his bow tie and returned to the piano. “Let’s begin p>
The music that followed was beautiful, but the women who had mocked Rylie earlier didn’t hear a single note.
Word of what had happened had already spread through the room. The whole exchange had been seen by too many, and now it was clear. Those elegant young women had formed a circle with the intent to isolate Rylie.
“I was this close to scolding Rylie. I thought she stole the seat,” someone whispered. “Turns out Paola made a mistake from the beginning p>
Another voice followed. “She jumped in without even asking what was going on.” From the back, a fan of Brad’s chimed in, “So the seat was indeed for him. He just helped her out by saying it belonged to her. He’s such a gentleman p>
Paola’s expression had gone pale, though…